General's Successor
by Pinewoodpine
Summary: It was his fate to become the General's successor... But before that, there is a world of horror to experience. R&R please! Chapter 3 is up after a long hiatus!
1. Chapter 0: Awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Man. I do own original characters.

Chapter 0: Awakening

The young man sighed as he looked on the glowing green crystal floating above his right palm as his short black hair fluttered in the air. He had been wondering why he was spared after his apparent death all those years ago, and he thought it was just a coincidence to be reincarnated into this place. His mind drifted away as his eyes looked at the crystal cube, radiating a soft green light.

No, he was wrong. There were no coincidences in this world, there was only destiny. This was one of his favourite quotes when he was still alive back 'then' and unfortunately, it can be used on him right now. Yes, destiny… Oh how he loathed the word and concept.

"Innocence… is it?" He asked himself as he recalled everything he knew about the events that happened within the manga. He never liked the story, it was too faked for his taste, but now… He began to regret the fact that he didn't read it thoroughly as his mind now was in a state of blank.

To break the chains of Fate…

He smiled, with a tint of self-taunt in his eyes. He placed his right palm on his chest, and the crystal gently entered his heart. He could felt it throbbing… He could feel it calling… He closed his eyes as he felt the jolting sensation in his body, and under his long-sleeved shirt, black lines were slowly forming on his chest, and when it was done, a cross within a circle appeared…

"If I cannot avoid the war, then I shall embrace it wholeheartedly." He whispered to himself as he looked out to the window from his room. A storm was brewing, and his eyes were glowing with a dark gloom. He knew he had not much time now… He had no idea when the original story would develop.

He had no time left.

He closed his eyes as he stood there, embracing the innocence… "So… your name is Seraphic Gate… A good name, but I was wondering if you have been stealing Tri-Ace's copyright." He chuckled to himself as he listened to his Innocence's whispered words. When he opened his eyes again, his iris began to take form as the same sigils as the one on his chest. They glowed with an unearthly light and as the sigil was completed, it abruptly stopped.

He extended his hand forward, and a small glowing sphere appeared in his hand, and with but a thought, the glowing sphere shattered into a million tiny particles as it was dismissed in the cold air.

And rain started to fell…

Making harmonious music…

"Strange… It was as if somebody designed this Innocence just for me…" He muttered to himself as felt his own power begin to grow, his body strengthen bit by bit as he could feel a certain something flowing through his tiny blood vessels and veins… He had hidden his magical abilities for fear of prosecution, for it was his secret both in the distant past and present, but now…

He smiled solemnly as he everything began to fall into place.

"_I will break this unfortunate chain, Lord God_." He prayed silently in his heart. "_And I will not be played like pieces on a chessboard…Will you help me, Seraphic Gate?_"

And he felt his own heart and soul tremble…

And he knew the answer…

"_Let us march forward then…_ _but rest now, Seraphic Gate. For our battle will begin soon…_" He looked into the black heavens, and began his daily prayer as dawn breaks. He was an atheist in the past, but since this happened to him, he truly began to believe in God and His existence…

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Piney: *Slurps tea*

Earl: *Slurps tea with huge grin*

Piney: You know what, I really love your grin. They always look white and shiny.

Earl: Of course they do! I use Colgate!

Piney: I'm not even sure they got Colgate in your era…

Earl: What? Of course they do!

*A moment of silence as cricket chirps in the background*

Piney: O…kay… That was a bit off topic. Anyway, please review!

*White fox on Piney's head yawn as it curls into a hat with nine tails dangling down his back*

Earl: Say... Can I…

Piney: Don't even think about it.


	2. Chapter 1: Akuma

Disclaimer: I do not own Man. I do own original characters and concepts used in the writing of this story.

Chapter 1: Akuma

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Favel dear, can you help me with the store for a while? I need to go to the storeroom to take some medicine for mister McClaude." A tall woman with long, blonde hair said softly to the young man beside her behind the wooden counter. The tall woman was wearing a simple dress in a palish green colour, a proof of its age. Although the woman had definitely seen more than thirty cold winters, she looked as young and as pretty as one in her mid-twenties.

In fact, she was still one of the most beautiful ladies in town.

"Yes ma." The dark haired young man, dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants replaced his mother as she went into the backroom in search of the medicine for mister McClaude. He nodded to the large man on the other side of the counter, who was wearing a gentleman's outfit, complete with a tall black hat and a staff. One cannot forget the beard on his squarish face. "Morning, mister McClaude."

Then he looked back, making sure that his mother was inside the storeroom before she whispered to the man. "Mister McClaude… You hadn't tried talking to my mother yet?"

The gentleman faked a cough as he covered his mouth with his right hand. The young man grinned to him as he thought he could see the red in man's face. "Now, now, young Favel. This is between me and Marianne, and you are still too young to be able to understand anything." In short, butt off.

Favel chuckled a bit as he tried to match make his mother and mister McClaude up. His mother was a tough woman, raising him since he was still a toddler. His father had apparently left his mother for another woman, and without a word, his mother left the household and all the riches behind without much of a word of protest, and stayed in this small little town for sixteen years now.

After he had grown up and could take care of his own, he helped his mother with this little shop her mother had opened to support their lives. It was located in a less-crowded corner of the street, and the shop sells many kinds of healing oddities from flu-curing herbs to burn-healing salves. Nobody knew where Marianne got all of her supplies from, but her goods were very famous in town because they are cheap, and they are very effective. Even some of the doctors in town fetch certain types of medicine from her shop.

Only Favel knew the truth though. Marianne was a very skilled chemist in his eyes, but she preferred to call her skill as alchemy. Favel was also an expert in the subject as he combined knowledge he learned from his past incarnation and the ones taught to him by his mother. Ten years down the road and he was now an expert in himself although he didn't let anyone know about his skills. Not even Marianne.

"I hope you are not causing any trouble, Favel." Marianne came up from behind, almost scaring the hell out of the young man as his hair stood up as if he was electrified.

"Of- Of course no, Ma. You know me, I don't stir up trouble." He faked a few laugh. Marianne smiled at Favel. Of course she knew that Favel didn't cause any trouble… She could never see through her son though, and she admitted it. Ever since he was young he had been helping her in her shop, doing everything he could. And when he grew older, he even helped in the creation of the medicines, and the processing of the herbs.

Sometimes she felt that the little child she taken care of had grown up so quickly, so quickly that she hoped that he could stay younger for a little longer. She let out a sigh as she placed two small boxes on the counter and pushed one towards him. "Well then, Favel, since you were so free why don't you take this one to Sister Jessica's place?"

"Sister Jessica? The small chapel at the edge of town right? Got it!" Favel took the box and walked out from behind the counter, pushed the door and walked down the busy morning street. As Marianne watched him leave, she suddenly felt… at peace. The boy had really grown up now, and she had done her duty as a mother almost perfectly. Favel was an excellent young man…

Now, if only he could settle down and find a young lass…

Favel felt a sudden chill in the air, chilling him into his bones under the morning sunlight…

Moments later, he found himself at the edge of town. The air was cold even with the morning sunlight shining onto the earth and trees. He walked without making a sound as he held the box tightly with his arms. It was too quiet… Usually when he walked past through the trail to the chapel, he could always hear the birds chirping and some noise made by the insects.

But complete silence filled the air as he walked down the path, with trees and undergrowth to both his side. He felt uneasy, as if something was watching upon him with a cold stare. He shivered a little, and ran towards the chapel, which was just a ten minutes walk from where he was.

However, if he knew that the Millennium Earl was watching with a playful glee as he stood on top of a pinetree, he would quickly turn tail and run away as quickly and as far away as he could. Since the acquirement of his innocence, he knew that he was no match for any of the more advanced Akumas, The Noah family and the Millenium Earl. As the final boss, Favel knew the earl was just playing around with Allen in Edo…

Favel reached the wooden chapel. Usually, there would be children playing around, but now… everything was silent… The uneasiness was becoming stronger… Then he stopped in front of the stairs going up to the closed door of the chapel… A pile of black dust and a sister's clothing…

"Sh-" Before he could finish his sentence, he throw the box to his front as he quickly jumped away from where he just stood. The wooden box was quickly torn into pieces together with the door as a huge-balloon like creature appeared from within and started shooting black balls of destruction. Favel knew what had just attacked him. Although he knew that since the day his innocence awakened, he would have to battle these fiends, but he never thought the day would come so quickly.

He dodged another shot as he rolled away, his cotton shirt was completely spoilt with dirt as he panted, crouching on the earthen path. He looked at the Akuma in front of him rising from within the chapel, abominable constructs built by the Earl to bring forth destruction… and death…

He stood up and rubbed off the cold sweat on his forehead, his black eyes looked at the Akuma before him, and a sphere of glowing light appeared on his hand…

"Come to my side, Seraphic Gate!"

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Earl: Hey! Hey! I appeared! Did you see that? Did you see that?!

*White fox bites on Earl's nose*

Earl: ……

*Pick fox up with his fingers*

Earl: Fox soup tonight?

*Piney's butcher's cleaver was put on the Earl's hat, with the sharp edge going downward*

Earl: …… *Sweating, put fox down and pats*

Piney: Anyway, review please~~

*Earl dragged off by Piney into a dark corner and his shriek can be heard from miles away, accompanied by sounds of slashing blade*


	3. Chapter 2: Level 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Man. I do own original characters and concepts used in the writing of this story.

Chapter 2: Level 2

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Seraphic Gate, come to my side!" He shouted as he extended his hand towards the ugly construct, its face filled with madness. He had no idea who the Akuma was, but he was not going to ask… To release its soul from the chains that bound it to this form was the least he could do.

The glowing sphere on his palm releases a strong light, and in but a second, an emerald green energy bolted from the sphere, striking the Akuma straight in the face. The energy blast exploded, releasing some smoke from the Akuma and Favel could hear it moaning like a zombie. He was standing up and took a few steps back as his eyes fixed on the smoke screen. He wasn't sure if he had killed that… thing or not, but he wasn't taking any chances.

Suddenly, he heard several shots were fired from behind the smoke and he immediately and instinctively rolled to his right. Still crouching, he took a peek to his left, and discovered the place where he stood just now was filled with holes from several shots. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead… If he had been just several seconds late, he would be turning into dusts right now.

"Die... Die… Die…" The akuma moaned as it revealed itself from the smoke screen, half its balloon like body was up in smoke, revealing the massive clockwork structure beneath its layer. Favel gritted his teeth as he sprinted to the side, followed by several shots from the Akuma's many canon-like contraptions.

He managed to dodge his way out after the assault, and once he managed to get his bearing right again, he aimed his sphere at the akuma again, releasing another green bolt at the monster. The blast hit it at its side, and blew it straight onto the ground as it moaned. Favel, seeing his chance to finish it off, continued to release bolts after bolts of energy, completely disintegrated the construct into oblivion.

A black cube was all that remained of the construct and Favel destroyed it with another blast, freeing the bound soul from its chains. That was the least that he could do… Although he wasn't as merciful or as empathetic as Allen Walker, he knew how painful it was to have your soul chained against your will. The sphere on his hand dissipated into many small ball of lights.

He breathed heavily as he cleared the sweat from his face with the back of his hand. He never thought that Akumas would appear here… And now, he would have to report this to the police department. He smiled bitterly because he knew that there was nothing they could do about this, but he would have to report it to them anyway.

He was in enough problems as it was.

He stood up and stabilized himself. The adrenaline rush was certainly there, but he couldn't take much of this. To use his innocence to strengthen his body and to attack at the same time, it used up quite a lot of his strength and stamina even at this stage where he actively suppress the synchronization between his innocence and himself.

He remembered that the lower the synchronization, the weaker the innocence and the accommodator were, and the more dangerous for the accommodator of the anti-akuma weapon. But if he did not lower it down… Heh, let's just say that the end result would be extremely interesting.

"Die…" An explosion on his feet caused dust to swirl up and he lost his balance because of the force. He was surprised, but he stayed calm and quickly got back to his feet.

"More than one…?" He muttered to himself as he resummoned his anto-akuma weapon, the Seraphic Gate to his side once again. When the dust settles, he saw three Akumas, floating in mid-air… And one of them was more humanoid than the others, looking like a clown with the mark "II" on his forehead as it stood on top of the cross of the chapel.

"A level two…" The young man's face turned even paler at the revelation. He knew at his current level, there was no way he could outfight these three… Run? Where could he run? He knew that a level two was more likely to be faster and more agile than him, and even if he did succeed, where would he go?

Back to the town and lead those things there?

He gritted at his teeth as the akumas fixed their eyes on him and the clown Akuma laughed menacingly. "An Innocence! I see an Innocence! Kyaha! This is my lucky day, the Earl will be so pleased!"

Favel used this time to start chanting magical words. If he were to be able to win this fight, he would have to use everything in his arsenal, and bringing up his synchronization rate to as high as possible. "Oh Lord God, protect me… and help me win this fight…" He prayed as the Akuma continued to gloat, and a bluish hue began to cover him like an invisible armour.

The clown stopped his laughter as Favel summoned the Seraphic Gate to his side again. The sphere used to be at the size of a ping-pong ball, but now it grew to the size of a baseball, and the light emanated from it was pulsing ever stronger. The clown could feel the energy pulsing on it, and its eyes fixed on the boy. "Kill him."

The two akumas shot their canons at the young man, and it exploded once again, bringing up a large swirl of dusts and earth. The clown akuma clapped his hand with a glee, but before he could finish all the mindless gloating and laughing, two energy bolts came from under the smoke screen, instantly blowing the two level one akumas into smithereens in a light show.

As the dust settled down, the clown looked at the young man, who was unscathed in the attack just now. With a grin, he extended his palm towards the Akuma, the Seraphic Gate's pulsing energy became stronger with each throbbing. He won't let him any chances of getting near him. "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. May you finally rest in peace as I release you from your bindings…"

The Akuma let out an angry screech as its right hand turned into a drill, and jumped off the cross towards the boy, but in its eyes it could see a flash of green light, and it was consumed by the energy, completely eradicated into millions of tiny particles a huge beam consumed it and went into the sky…

He let out a sigh of relief as all the akumas have been destroyed and sat on the hard ground. He felt like throwing up as he felt his head spinning. His body could barely keep up with the sudden surge of synchronization with his Innocence. He panted slightly, gasping for air as felt the exhaustion creeping up to him. He was even too exhausted to raise his arm.

Thank goodness he was able to kill the akuma in one hit, of course, there was a lot of luck factor involved. If the akuma didn't under-estimated him, if the akuma didn't jump right in front of him without thinking twice, if his power wasn't enough to kill it immediately…

There was a lot of ifs involved in this one.

"Well, hello there, young one " He heard someone with an eerie voice called from behind, and it chilled him into his bones. There was only one person in this world that he knew would talk like that. He was stunned as a huge figure appeared before him, floating down from the heaven with his umbrella… "You seemed to have something that I want so badly "

He shivered in fear as the Millennium Earl appeared before him. With a huge grin, the Earl stared at him. "You don't seem like an exorcist, but you seemed to be able to use the Innocence just as well. Give it up to me now, or you'll get hurt "

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Earl: …… *Looks at game controller with smoke coming out*

Piney: How was it? *Reads newspaper*

Earl: He destroyed my toy… Now I feel so sad…

Piney: Oh?

Earl: I want to go shopping! I want to go buy new hats! *Hands flailing*

Piney: …… And?

Earl: I want more pocket money so I can buy them.

Piney: ……No.

Earl: You don't like me anymore… *Cries*

Piney: Anyway, read and review people. Earl, if there's more review maybe I'll get you a new controller and a new hat.

Earl: Really? *Eyes shines* Now, start giving those reviews! *Point umbrella's pumpkin end at readers*


	4. Chapter 3: The Millenium Earl

Disclaimer: I do not own Man. I do own original characters and concepts used in the writing of this story.

Chapter 3: The Millennium Earl

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"You don't seem like an exorcist, but you seemed to be able to use the Innocence just as well. Give it up to me now, or you'll get hurt " The Millennium Earl looked at him with an ever happy grin, but Favel gave him the look of horror as he remembered what would happen next. The Earl had an immense hatred for the Innocence… He quickly scrambled to his feet as he gritted his teeth and stared back at the Earl's gaze.

Favel immediately summoned his Innocence as he took a step back. He didn't know what power level the Earl would be, but he would be foolish to think that he could take him on alone. It was just not possible, even if he combined the full might of his Innocence and his sorcery right now. To defeat the Earl of Millenium, the true, final boss of this whole mangaverse? He wouldn't be so naïve to believe that it was possible for him. The winds were howling as the rustles of the leaves became even more apparent. The sunrays were warm, but he could feel the chill cuts into his whole fragile skeleton…

"You… You won't let me go anyway…" He answered the Earl as he trembled under the Earl's fearful gaze. He remembered that a snake's prey couldn't move an inch when the snake was gazing at it with its two serpentine eyes. Now he could feel the same pressure the prey was experiencing. "I… don't want to die…" He muttered to himself as the Seraphic Gate float next to his hand, glowing wildly like a light bulb which power supply was unstable.

The Earl grinned at the young teen with a huge grin as usual as he looked at him in amusement while still floating in the air. He knew him. Now, THAT was a surprise. His name was not well known except in his own circle… Or his appearance. But judging by how he was trembling… His grin became even brighter and larger as he pointed Lero, his companion umbrella at the scared boy while he hopped onto the ground gracefully. "You know me~~ How amusing I don't think I was that famous though~~ Mind telling me how you know me?"

The teen would be surprised by the Earl's elegant movement if he was not trying to figure out a way of which to escape. It was like a bear decided to dance ballet, and was extremely good at it. "I don't want to die." He raised his head and looked at the Earl, there were determination in those black eyes even though tears were starting to flow down his cheeks. "I promised that I will defy Fate…"

"To defy Fate, you say? Really interesting " The Earl was obviously running out of patience as he ended the conversation as he raised his umbrella into the air. Favel looked at him as he positioned his Innocence in front of him. The ball of light was cackling with energy, seemingly waiting to release its punishment unto the Earl by its master's command. The young teen had already stopped suppressing his synchronicity as a green glow began to surround him as well as it wisped around him.

"Then, shall we dance?" The Earl's gaze became hostile as more Akumas appeared behind the Earl out of nowhere. Favel looked at their forms, and they seemed to be level 1s… But he knew that there would be more. Earl, as the creator of the Akumas, could summon as much Akumas as he wanted to… He counted eight, but more were descending from the sky… He looked at the grinning Earl, and did the only thing he could.

He turned tail and ran.

His mind was still working though, so he decided not to run back into the town. He would run in a semi-circle, and then ran away from the town. At least… At least his mother and everyone else would be safe from the Akuma. As he ran in a zig-zag pattern under the covers of the lush trees above him, the Akumas were firing their cannons from the sky. Fortunately, the trees were providing cover for him and as long as he could dodge from getting any direct hits, he should be fine.

As he ran and felt that his endurance was slowly being drained away, he could hear the Earl's maniacal laughter echoing in the forest. He managed to dodge the canon rains thus far, he prayed that he could evade from being hit by any of them. At least until he could mislead them… Just as he was about to turn into a corner, a huge spherical object suddenly fall from the sky above with a bunch of tree leaves cushioning its fall!

It was an Akuma! And its canon was going to fire at Favel!

Luckily, Favel anticipated he might be confronted while he was trying to escape. The Seraphic Gate in front of him seemed to cause the space around it to ripple as Favel adjusted its attack angle, and then there was a burst of light balls spraying out in front of him in a fan-shaped area. Although the spheres of light were smaller than the ones that he used to destroy the Akumas earlier in front of the chapel, but there were a lot of them. In fact, there were so much of the spheres that the Akuma was completely engulfed by the light screen…

Favel didn't stop to check whether the infernal construct was completely 'dead', but he wasn't going to stay around and look whether it left some dust behind after its destruction. With the Earl just behind him, he would rather use this time to at least try and escape… Just as he was about to continue his escape, an extremely familiar voice rang next to his ears…

"Did you miss me?"

And the next thing he knew, he was already laying helplessly on a large tree trunk, which was snapped in half by a powerful blow when he was slammed into the plant from his side. As the leaves and branches of trees fell silently next to his battered form, he knew this was the end of it. He tried to move, but the only thing he succeeded to do was evoking the pains from his broken ribs. He turned his blurred vision to the Earl, and saw him joyously hopping towards him while he hummed his favourite tune.

The Earl was standing right next to him. He was going to die… He saw the Earl was raising his damnable umbrella that crushed him with its pointy end pointed at him, and when he was going to close his eyes to receive the invitation of Death once again, the Earl stopped. And then his eyes flashed a green light as he turned his eyes away from the terribly wounded teen, and towards a general direction…

Favel's eyes became wide with horror as he muttered under his dying breath…

"No…"

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Piney: *Bow down* Sorry for the long hiatus. I completely forgot about this fan-fiction, if not for AnimeVamp-san's review. I am so, so sorry about this…

Fox: *Yawn sleepily as she slept on Piney's head as usual*

Earl: *Clean the dusts of his hat and Lero*

Piney: Anyway, I found this next chapter was left in my folder, so~~ I decided to upload it! :3

Earl: REJOICE!

Piney: Oh, shut up. *Slaps Earl* You had just beaten the MC up. Anyway, hope there will be a next chapter!


End file.
